This is how the story of Jennifer Stark ends
by Carixna
Summary: This is the sequel to Jennifer Stark. Please read that one first, otherwise you may be lost and confused. The title may sound like this will be short, but I assure you otherwise.
1. Chapter 1

_"You said no?!" Steve Rogers shouted in outrage as he ran side by side with a blonde fit young woman, with glowing green eyes. He was wearing tight black clothing, to match his female accomplice as he threw his shield horizontally, effectively nailing one assailant while the woman used that distraction to take out the other with two well-aimed kicks. Despite the gravity of the situation they were in Steve continued, "Jennifer Stark says no to love of her life's proposal!" _

_Natasha buzzed into the comm suddenly, "Jenny, you are going to have a lot of explaining to do." Her voice was hushed as she was poised as lookout with Jenny's laptop tapped into Fort Meade's cameras. _

_Rolling her eyes with a grunt as she threw two more punches and a roundhouse kick, Jenny replied to the Captain, "I didn't say no!"_

_He was fighting off three others as he interjected, "You didn't say yes!"_

_"Is this really the time or the place?" Jenny shouted back before she felt a gun hit her stomach as she stepped back a pace but before she could run at the soldier Steve had him taken down. They were currently breaking into Fort Meade, an Army guarded fort with three armed walls and electric gates. Natasha was tapped into their cameras and trying to lead them from trouble but a slight miscommunication in which the whole story started its retelling got them found. This wave of guards seemed to be dispatched, but surely more were going to be on their backs soon. _

_With a stern look from the blonde soldier, all her logic was defenseless as he just eyed her before nodding, "Yes."_

Bruce Banner has done his fair share of running. He's run from family and love, just as much as he has run from enemies and government stress. It isn't surprising that Jenny picked a little up from him.

He had no idea where she was. It was going on the second week with no word from her. He was a little worried. Meanwhile, Tony just laughed about the situation, seeing how the day after her departure, a stammering Bruce approached Tony with a very important question.

"H-Hey Tony?"

"Yeah, what's up Bruce?"

"I may have made a mistake."

… "Okay, what did you or Jay do this time?"

"I asked her to marry me."

… … … "Okay if I had a week I couldn't list all the mistakes that statement implies, which are we focusing on?"

A sigh, "I didn't ask you first."

"Bruce. Buddy. I love you, but we aren't getting married."

"Oh my go- Tony, that's not what I was referring to."

"Fine Bruce, I thought we had something speci-"

"Tony!"

"Wow... She really has you strung tight doesn't she?" Tony looked up from his work for the first time with an actual sincere look of concern, "I take it her response wasn't immediately affirmative?"

Bruce really wished Tony would stop looking at him like that; his eyes went straight to the ground in submission, "… You'd be correct."

He raised his eyebrows, "Well then, Dr. Banner, I think that my opinion is nearly void. Not to mention, if the answer was otherwise, I would know my opinion was void. Jay does what she wants. If you've asked her, you'll have the only answer you need."

Bruce's head is still hurting from how hard he hit it on the table after that. Jenny left only two hours after the words left his mouth and she is the queen at ignoring circumstances she doesn't like. She is queen of a lot of things such as kicking ass, science, computers, surviving, making friend- well… she's queen of other things too. He had made his choice to stay with her the day he brought her breakfast and the day Fury confronted him about their strange dynamic months ago when Bruce was walking out on the team. He had made his choice to marry her the day she met them at the hospital, healed entirely and for good. Bruce never thought maybe Jenny hadn't chosen yet.

As Tony watched his friend hold his head in his hands he tapped his fingers on the table. Tony loved his sister, and he knew her very well but even in reassurance, he could not tell Bruce that Jenny would certainly say yes. He sighed loudly, "Bruce?" The dark haired doctor looked up, a war still in his eyes, "Jay loves dramatics. I know your age difference is the cause of most fights, but she is very young. She loves you, but I'm not sure..." Tony didn't think that her walking out was a show, or to play hard to get—he just knew his sister was not…

"You're not sure that's enough." Bruce answered and Tony nodded slowly, "I know. I've tried to tell her what she means to me but…"

"Wait a sec," Tony stepped back and crossed his arms, entering into big brother mood in a heartbeat, "You didn't respond to her "I love you", did you?"

Bruce knew better than to argue, but his mind was not in the best place as he shot back, "I did too; she was too irrational to hear it at the time but-"

"Bruce!" Tony cut him off, "Women don't count it if it is said just to appease them in an argument." Tony had gotten the phone call as Jay left that night, clearly upset by the situation.

"Well it was the truth." Bruce shot back harshly and Tony sighed sensing the irrationality in his tone yet Bruce caught the disappointment, "Tony, I love her. Do not doubt that."

A little fed up with the dramatics of the entire situation, Tony just thought back to the conversation him and Jenny had, ten minutes before she left, "That does not affect me. Try telling her, and hope she believes you."

Tony was lying, only a little, when he said that does not affect me. He loved Jenny, and he dearly wanted to see her happy, that all he ever wanted for his sister.

_"Why would you say no?" Steve inquired as he threw the backpack towards her and she caught it fluidly swinging it onto her back._

_Jenny had tuned out the blaring alarms to keep her mind clear as they stole from one of the most heavily guarded facilities in the country. Mainly to keep herself from laughing at the security, "Because!"_

_"You're a child." Natasha's voice rang in her ear and Jenny smiled._

_"Tell me something I don't know." Steve glared at her as they began their getaway. Just as they got out of the fort and were jumping into the woods Jenny was shouting back to Natasha in her ear, "Seven pursuers on us, leading them to you. Be prepared." _

_"Roger that." Natasha replied as her and Sam readied them, Natasha in a tree. _

_Steve managed glance at Jenny as they ran, "You're not actually a child anymore Jenny. You're quite old enough to decide your life for yourself." Jenny rolled her eyes and chuckled, "I'm serious!"_

_"Not the time Steve!" Jenny felt a dart whiz by her ear and she ducked, "Tranquilizers!"_


	2. Chapter 2

"Tone!" Jennifer Stark pulled into her tower in NYC with every sparkle in the world in her smile as she spotted her brother in the garage with his girlfriend, Pepper Potts. Jenny parked skillfully and jumped out of the red convertible (Apple) and raced over to him to be hugged, lifted a centimeter off her feet, as he laughed in her ear.

"Jay!" He mimicked her tone and despite his manner, he was glad to see her. He had received the comm alert that morning, and the video link of what SHIELD was and what was going on. She called him while she was searching for Steve after the heliocarrier went down. The fact that she did not look too worse for wear made Tony that much happier.

"Looks like you always find trouble," Pepper remarked and Jenny winked at her. Jen let go of Tony only to hug Pepper next who added, "Good thing you seem to handle it well."

"Got that right Pep" Jenny took a step back from both of them and looked at the elevator, "Is Bruce home?"

Pepper and Tony shared a look but Jarvis beat them both from answering, "He is Miss Stark, and he has placed multiple calls to your phone, may I alert him that you have returned?"

`A small smile replaced itself onto Jenny's face, one that gave Tony a little hope that his friend's torture these past few days was not in vain, "No, thank you Jarvis, nice to hear you again, I think I'll tell him myself. What floor is he on?"

"He's in your library."

"Thanks Jar," Jenny started moving towards the open elevator and waved to Tony, "See you guys for dinner at the very latest?"

Tony winked at her while Pepper confirmed her question and Jenny rolled her eyes with a smile.

_"You know what you need to do." Steve said and Jenny leaned back in the kitchen chair of Sam Wilson's home as they were planning. _

_She circled the rim of her glass and nodded, "First we have to get through this."_

_Steve smirked, "Try looking forward to things Jenny, when did you stop that?"_

_She hadn't noticed but somewhere in her life she forgot that looking forward to things was meant to be. She forgot that she had things to look forward to. Love, adventures, a wedding... "Probably when my life was in danger multiple times a week."_

_"Haven't died yet, right?" Steve caught her look, "Permanently, I mean."_

_"I suppose not."_

The elevator was silent and Jenny relaxed for a moment, allowing her guard and all to release. She already made her decision. There would be no going back. No changing her mind. She just had to speak her mind. Lord knows she was good at that.

The elevator opened with a ding but Bruce was facing away from it, looking towards the fireplace with his nose in a book. He sighed, "Tony, we already talked about this, that video comm is anxiety causing!"

"Then I'll be sure not to include you in the link next time." Bruce jumped from his seat to face her instantly, surprised to see her smiling, in her black boots and shield apparel but no scratches or dismay to be seen, "I just wanted you to know I wasn't dead yet."

Bruce forced a laugh, "Your super healing sort of ensures that in my mind."

No going back.

She smirked and took step into the room, "Really? Not my awesome strength and fantastic brains?"

That air she was trying to bring up was stifled and Bruce tried to forget the awkwardness, "Well, those ensured that none of us were in actual danger." Jenny smiled and broke eye contact to look at the ground and wring out her hands.

No changing her mind.

"Jenny."

"Bruce."

"You can go," Jenny said with a flourish of her hands to hear what Bruce had to say, "I'm not in the mood for saying a lot of words."

She just needed to say a few things.

Bruce took a deep breath, "That's a change and well," He collected his thoughts, "Jenny, I love you. Believe me when I say that. I would never want to hurt you and all I'd like is to wake up every morning beside you and know that you wi-"

"Yes." Jenny laughed and Bruce stopped at the interruption while she raised her eyebrows, "Yes, I know all of that, and yes."

Bruce stuttered as he moved around the couch to approach her, "Yes to what?"

Jenny steadied her nerves, ready to tell him all of it, "Yes I'd love to wake up every day beside you, and go to sleep that way too. I'd love to make you happy in every way I can and I would neverhurt you intentionally," Another deep measured breath.

Just tell him.

Tell him.

"And yes, I'd love to marry you." Silence as he stopped a few steps from her, speechless, "If the offer still stands."

He crossed the few steps in a moment, quick to grab her shoulders and lean just enough to look straight into her eyes, "The offer stands."

"Then it's accepted." She meant every word she said, and the immense happiness in Bruce's embrace was enough to conclude that she made that right decision.

The right decision.


End file.
